Derek Twigg
| Derek Twigg MP | |
|---|---|
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| Twigg in 2008 | |
| Member of Parliament for Halton |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Gordon Oakes |
| Majority | 15,504 (37.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 9, 1959 Widnes, Lancashire, England (now in Cheshire) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Cassidy |
| Children | 1 son, 1 daughter |
| Website | Derek Twigg |
John Derek Twigg (born 9 July 1959) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halton since 1997.
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[edit] Early life
Derek Twigg went to Bankfield High School (now The Bankfield School)[1] in Widnes, and then to Halton College of Further Education (now Riverside College). He started to work at the age of 16 as a civil servant for the Department for Employment (now the Department for Employment and Learning) in Runcorn for the next 19 years.[2]
At the age of 18 Derek Twigg became the branch secretary to the Civil and Public Services Association (now part of the Public and Commercial Services Union) and in 1979 he joined the Labour Party. At the age of 21 he was elected to Cheshire County Council and continued to be a county councilor until 1985. In 1983 he was elected to Halton Borough Council.[2] From 1996-7 he was a political consultant.[citation needed]
[edit] Parliamentary career
At the general election in 1997 Derek Twigg was elected to succeed Gordon Oakes as Member of Parliament for the Halton Constituency and made his maiden speech on 10 June 1997. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Helen Liddell and to Stephen Byers and was appointed as a Government Whip in June 2002. In December 2004 Derek Twigg was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Skills and after the general election in May 2005 he became Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. In September 2006 he was appointed Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.[2] In October 2008 he was replaced in this position and, declining the offer of another ministerial post, returned to the back benches.[3]
[edit] Personal life
He married Mary Cassidy in January 1988 in Widnes. They have a son (Sean Twigg born June 1989) and daughter (Megan Twigg born April 1992).[citation needed] Twigg lists his interests outside politics as hill walking, military history, particularly World War Two and Rugby League.[2] A lifelong Liverpool supporter, he attended the 1989 FA Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough stadium, abandoned six minutes into the game. Twigg watched the unfolding Hillsborough disaster tragedy from the north stand.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Derek Twigg, MP official constituency website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
- Derek Twigg booed at the Headmasters conference in May 2005
- Video clip: Presenting veterans' badges on board HMS Belfast, 5 September 2007, video
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gordon Oakes |
Member of Parliament for Halton 1997–present |
Incumbent |
